Museo de la Ciudad, Quito
City history museum in the former San Juan de Dios hospital, founded as a hospital in 1565.
The museum occupies the former Hospital San Juan de Dios, founded in 1565 by Hernando de Santillán, first president of the Royal Audiencia of Quito. Known at first as the Hospital Real de la Misericordia, it passed to the Bethlemite order between 1706 and 1830 and continued to treat patients until 1974, making it one of the longest-serving hospitals in the Americas. The complex covers more than 10,000 square metres of adobe and stone ranges, chapels, wards and cloistered courtyards beside the Arco de la Reina.
After two decades of restoration the building reopened as the Museo de la Ciudad on 23 July 1998. Its permanent displays trace the social history of Quito and its hinterland from pre-Hispanic settlement through the colonial city, independence and the republic, using models, reconstructed interiors, archaeological finds and works of the Quito School. Temporary exhibitions, evening tours of the old hospital, concerts and education programmes are run by the Fundación Museos de la Ciudad.
Highlights
- Former Hospital San Juan de Dios, founded in 1565
- More than 10,000 square metres of courtyards and wards
- Permanent displays on Quito's social history
- Guided tours offered in five languages
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